<HTML> Several weeks a= go, a tennis pal and I were talking about what era we'd live in, given the c= hoice. I immediately chose the World War II era, with all of the drama, u= ncertainty, patriotism, swing music, ships coming back into port, epic battl= es, world travel, and ultimate victory. The images we all woke up to Tuesday= morning pounded into me how horribly foolish my choice would have been. = I had forgotten certain parts, such as women just a few years older than = my own daughter losing boyfriends, brothers, husbands and fathers. Someho= w the old war movies seemed to leave out the aftermath, the clean-up, the co= unting, and the sorrow. My buddy called me this afternoon, and told me, "Well, looks= like you got your wish now." I fear that there is truth in what he said.=  War is about killing people and breaking things, and after Tuesday, w= e all hoped we'd seen enough. I'm afraid that there is some ugly work ahe= ad for America, but this country has yet to shrink from the principles upon = which it was founded. I think about the generation that I thought I would have cho= sen, what has come to be known as "The Greatest Generation." You know them. = This was the generation of my parents, and Cliff and Sandy, and Dale and = Brett's parents, who didn't choose to live through World War II, they were t= hrown into it. I've wondered why I admire so many of them; their characte= r, their moral conviction, their quiet patriotism. I once asked my old de= ntist how he could hold his drill steady all day. He chuckled, and told m= e, "After flying a B-17 over Germany 25 times, this is really kinda easy." = They were baptized by fire, and made stronger for it. They haven't bee= n thanked enough. I know that whatever lies ahead for this next "Greatest= Generation," they will carry on with the courage, pride, and spirit that ha= s made America a dream for some, and a target for others. I wish them God= speed, but I also wish there were some other way.... On Tuesday morning we had a big chunk of our humanity ripped= out from under us. We've been forced to watch shocking inhumanity follow= ed by heroism beyond measure. As we come to grips with these events, it m= ight be worthwhile to start working overtime to put the little pieces of hum= anity back into our lives. Smile at people, talk to them. If you're in line at Starb= ucks, buy a cup for the guy behind you, and ask how he's doing. Shake a l= ot of hands. Some people need to talk, listen to them. If somebody cut= s you off on the road, give him the "Don't Worry About It" wave. Make the co= rny little jokes we all make. Write letters, pick up the phone. And fo= r God's sake, sit down with your kids and tell them how special and loved th= ey are. Let's work overtime at the little things for a while. Take care, all, and may God Bless Dan Dannenfelser PTG Associate Sacramento, CA </HTML>